HUBBALLI: The first voice of dissent has risen against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai leading the Karnataka BJP in the next Assembly elections -- senior party leader Jagadish Shettar was quite disapproving of the development, though he did not openly challenge it.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Thursday made it public at Davanagere that Bommai would lead the party in the 2023 assembly election. He was confident that the BJP would return to power with a clear mandate. This utterance by the second most powerful leader in the party has set off ripples among leaders.
Recently, citing seniority, Shettar had refused to join the Bommai cabinet, and has been sulking ever since. He also kept himself away from the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation poll, as his campaign was restricted to select wards. Though he took part in meetings attended by top leaders, Shettar remained aloof, said a party insider.
On Friday, when Shettar was asked about Shah’s decision on the next assembly poll under Bommai’s leadership, he initially said he was committed to decisions taken by the party and would act as per party directions. Shettar did not look too satisfied.
But when questioned intensely, citing his earlier stand on not joining the Bommai cabinet and fighting the next election under the latter, Shettar laughed, “Elections are far away, in 2023. Let us see what happens. We will wait and see.” He, however, added that he would act as a disciplined party worker.
Asked about the party disrespecting a senior leader, Shettar said, “Opinion has been expressed at the appropriate forum.” Stating that rising fuel prices would not affect the urban local body poll outcome, Shettar said price rise had existed during other party governments too. So it is not a factor in poll results, he added.
Collective leadership, says Eshwarappa
Shivamogga: RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa on Friday said that the BJP will fight the 2023 election under collective leadership. Eshwarappa, however, was quick to add that Bommai would also play a great role for the party in the polls.
"BJP state president Naleen Kumar Katil is also building the party. We are all putting in a collective effort. Even though Shah took the name of Bommai, we will go for the next elections under collective leadership," the senior BJP leader added.